Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Jackhammer Friends

8/24/09 Show
Of particular note this week:

- Started the show off with three 60s French girl groups. What could be better than that? All three songs I played are available at Aquarium Drunkard.

- Surprised I haven't linked to this song yet, but if you follow any blogs you've probably heard it before. Still, its a pretty sweet melancholy tune from San Francisco's Girls (who released the awesome "Lust for Life" earlier this year"). Give this one some time to win you over: "Hellhole Ratrace"

- The Very Best are up to it again, providing us internet-types with the B-side from "Warm Heart of Africa". Can't wait to hear this song remixed (not that it needs to be). "Yalira"

- New song from The Spinto Band, who seem to fit the Park the Van Records sound very well. Not my favorite track of theirs, but we'll see the rest of this EP turns out. "Jackhammer"

- The title track of Luke Top's Friends is a nice folky sing-a-long affair. Evidently Luke Top was also behind that Fool's Gold song I liked so much last week (it's on the LSTN #6 compilation).

- Feels like it has been used in a Wes Anderson movie, but I'm quite certain it hasn't: Scott Walker - "30 Century Man"

- In need a good roller skating song? Washed Out - "Belong". Unfortunately, Washed Out doesn't know how to end a song (have a listen).

Check out the full playlist

My Will is Good

8/17/09 Show
Of particular note this week:

- My friend Alex turned me onto Edwarde Sharpe & the Magnificent Zeros during his visit to Crested Butte. As many others have said, they have sort of a Devendra-Banhart-meets-Arcade-Fire sound. I'd say their album Up From Below has a number of standout tracks you should listen to, including "40 Day Dream", "Janglin" & "Home". NPR has a short article on them.

- Another track from Port O'Brien's new album Threadbare is making the rounds. I'm rather excited about this one: "My Will is Good"

- Excellent new song from Volcano Choir, featuring Wisconsin's most popular cabin-dweller, Bon Iver. Good stuff here: "Island, IS"

- Pulsing, beautiful acoustic jam: Taken By Trees - "Watch the Waves"

- Another quality free mix from Urban Outfitters = LSTN #6. Be sure to check out Fool's Gold & Fortune Teller, among many other artists you've already heard about on this site.

- Awesomeness ensues when two of the best "garage" acts around (Black Lips + King Khan) combine to form The Almighty Defenders. Download two tracks from their upcoming release here (scroll down a bit).

- Another lo-fi, psychedelic summer jam from Family Portrait = "On the Floor"

- Evidently no one can afford quality sound recording equipment this summer:, making lo-fi the true sound of the recession. Check out this hummable tune from Small Black: "Despicable Dogs"

- Gentle Friendly are some London dudes drawing comparisons to Animal Collective, which doesn't immediately spark my interest. This song, however, does ever so slightly: "RIP Static"

- Quality americana-folk-rock storytelling: These United States - "I Want You to Keep Everything"

Check out the full playlist

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Summer Pledge Drive, Vol. 2: The Garage Bands

8/10/09 Show
For my second Summer 2009 Pledge Drive show I decided to follow through on a show idea I'd had for years: 2 hours of vintage 60s garage band rock. I'd been putting it off because I wanted to do it right (lots of research, creating a good show "flow", plucking out the best 2 hours out of the many hours of fitting music, etc.), and I think it worked well as a pledge drive show. Strangely, I got more positive comments than possibly ever for a show, but I also only raised $85. Oh well, I had a blast.

I could go on and on about how much I like this genre of rock, but this quote from influential rock critic Lester Bangs pretty much says it all,
What is more American than the garage band? Call up a bunch of your buddies, get some six-packs or some weed, plus a guitar or two, a bass or drum kit, and you've got instant fantasies about instant stardom. Of course, at certain times and places, fantasy and reality have intersected, and that is part of what rock is all about. Given that the greatest garage bands could barely play, we may assume not only that virtuosity has nothing to do with the form, but also that the utopian dream of everyman an artist can come true right here, in our suburban land of opportunity-the ultimate proof that rock & roll is the most democratic and all-American of art forms

Many of the songs on the playlist came from the famous Nuggets compilation, but you also heard tracks from MOJO Magazine compilation and several vinyl tracks from The Sonics and also The Vampires. Check out the full playlist

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Summer Pledge Drive, vol. 1

8/3/09 Show
Of note this week:

- The Summer Pledge Drive started at 8am on this day. Thanks to all my friends and family who pledged during my show and helped me raise $620! There are some awesome thank-you gifts this year for different pledge levels, so check them out and donate at kbut.org. Or call 970-349-7444 during my show next week!

- Death is amazing. Death being the unheralded early-70s Detroit proto-punk band that is starting to make a comeback (sans one original member who passed away before they recently garnered praise and appreciation). Check out the NYTimes articles that GvB links to above.

- Sunny indie-pop that could be done by any number of bands: Portugal. The Man - People Say. Still, its done well and I'm curious to hear the rest of the album.

- Another new track from Yo La Tengo's Popular Songs, which gets released September 8th. Here to Fall is more orchestrated, spacey, & wandering than the previously posted Periodically Double or Triple.

View the Full Playlist

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Everything Absent, Departed

7/27/09 Show
Of note this week:

- Sadly, another promising Denver band has broken up. However, before they truly leave us, Everything Absent or Distorted will release a free 4 song EP as a parting gift. Read more and grab an mp3 from the EP.

- The Thermals stopped by the Daytrotter.com studios. How could that be a bad thing?

- The Gary would like you to keep your Damn Machines, modern-day John Henrys that they are.

- Sybris kindof sounds like Sonic Youth with a powerful & dynamic female lead singer: Sybris - Oh Man!

- The Big Pink provides a nice addition to any summer playlist: Dominos

- Still Playing Free Energy & lots of Mark Mulcahy (and covers). See the post below for links on those...

View Full Playlist